SALEM COMMUNITY HOSPITAL...Area residents can make history in fight against cancer

April 1, 2012

Columbiana County residents will have the opportunity to fight back against cancer and improve the health of generations to come by enrolling in a new research project called the Cancer Prevention Study - 3 (CPS-3).

The American Cancer Society's (ACS) Epidemiology Research Program is inviting men and women between the ages of 30 and 65, who have no personal history of cancer, to join CPS-3, which is taking place in select communities across the United States, including Columbiana County.

Purpose of the Study

The goal of CPS-3 is to gather health information in order to better understand the factors that may cause or prevent cancer, such as those related to lifestyle, the environment or family history. Findings from the study will be used to help reduce or eliminate cancer as a major health concern for future generations, which will ultimately save lives.

At least 300,000 adults from different ages, races and ethnic backgrounds across the country are needed to participate in the national study, in order to learn more about why some people get cancer and some don't. Participants will be asked to complete follow-up surveys through the mail periodically, while the study is being conducted. Large-scale studies like CPS-3 are scientifically valid only if participants can be successfully track and followed over time.

Area residents who choose to enroll in the CPS-3 study will have the chance to make a difference in the fight against cancer by providing confidential information over time about the factors that may help reduce a person's cancer risk.

According to 2008 statistics provided by the Ohio Department of Health, which is the most current information available, one in three Ohio residents will develop cancer sometime during their lifetime. Columbiana County residents have a slightly higher than average cancer rate at 476 incidences of cancer per 100,000 people, as compared to the state average of 465.1 per 100,000.

How to Participate

The study is open to anyone who:

- Is between 30 and 65 years old

- Has never been diagnosed with cancer (not including basal or squamous cell skin cancer)

- Is willing to make a long-term commitment to the study, which involves completing periodic follow-up surveys at home for the next 20-30 years

After signing up, participants will be asked to complete a confidential survey about their current medications, family medical history, lifestyle and other factors related to their health.

Enrollees will also be asked to schedule an appointment in May at one of three locations throughout the county, where they will have their waist circumference measured and a small blood sample taken by a trained phlebotomist.

Participants will have their choice of signing up for appointments at one of three locations in Columbiana County:

- Tuesday, May 15 from noon to 5:30 p.m. at Salem Community Hospital

- Thursday, May 17 from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Crestview High School

- Friday, May 18 from 2 to 5:30 p.m., and Saturday, May 19 from 8 to 11:30 a.m. at East Liverpool City Hospital

Why Does the Study Matter?

The study will begin by collecting preliminary information from people who do not have cancer, and then the study data will be updated over time.

As cases of cancer or other diseases develop, the study will compare the findings for people who develop cancer against those who do not.

This will help researchers understand the differences between people who get cancer and those who do not, what the likely risk factors are for cancer, and how to best prevent this disease in the future.

Study participants will also be sent annual newsletters with highlights of the study results, and CPS-3 results will be published in various scientific journals.

CPS-3 is funded and managed by the American Cancer Society's Department of Epidemiology & Surveillance Research (Analytic Epidemiology program). The Analytic Epidemiology program conducts, analyzes, and publishes original research on the causes and prevention of cancer based on these large follow-up studies.

All personal information gathered through the study will remain confidential.

For more information about CPS-3 and the selected enrollment locations please email cps3@cancer.org or call toll-free 1-888-604-5888.